Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-03-18
A MURDER AVENGED.


Among the six elephants in tn o
menagerie was one named Pompey
and his mahout, or keeper, was an
old man named Andrew Thompson,
He had been in the show business
all bis life, and for the last fifteen
years had been accompanied by his
daughter, who was down on the
bills as "Mlle. JOSIE Picard, the
wonderful equestrienne." The Old
man was a widOwer, you under.
stand, and | tell yOu he was one OF
the klndest and best fathers to
Josie, which was her right name.
She was, at the time | am writing,
of about twenty years of age, hand
some, viyaciOus, well educated and
beloved by all. During the winters
she attended a seminary in the
East, and had many friends in good
society. Every sHmmer she had a
score of wOuld.be lovers following
her about, some belonging to the
show and some outside of it, but
but that was the one tOuchy point
with old Thompson. He had been
father and mother and brother and
sister to that girl, and the idea OF
any common fellow trying to shine
around her, put his nose out ofJolnt
at once. lie felt she was worthy
of the best man in the land, even II
she did wear tights ana spangles a
part of the year. What her ideas
on the subject of matrlmOny were
do not know. She was a born
lady in her demeanOr, kind.hearted,
gentle and Obedient, and every one
OF us felt proud of her. In this we
were seconded by POmpey. The
great beast was such friend OF
hers that the father was actually
Jealous about it. There was meyer
a day that she did not pay him a
visit, aud she never approached
that he did not evince his great
pleasure in a dozen ways.
One of our tumblers and acrObats
that season was a young fellow
named Campi. remember he was
down on the bills as "Mons. CampI
or "Signor Cam2i," aud | think he
was an Italian. He was a good
looking, dashing young fellow OF
twenty-three, and we were no sooner
on the road than he fell IN love with
Josie. She, perhaps, accepted 1t as
a matter Of course, neither slight
ing nor encouraging him, but when
old Thompson came to know about
it he called the young fellow aside
and said
"See. here, Campi, want to tell
You right now that my daughter
will never marry in the profession
"Is she, then, so much superior
to all others 2" was the sneerng in.
quiry.
chat is not the question. l
have my plans in regard to her,
and it is useless for you to nurse
Your love. BE a man OF sense, and
let it stop at friendship
81 love Josie, and l hope to make
her my wife,
"YOu never can"
"Then it shall not be my fault
This interview had taken place
in the presence of POmpey, and it
mi sht have lasted longer but for
him. lie may not have conceived
an aversion for Campi, though ele-
plants have their likes and dislikes
at first sight, the same as people ;
but the young mans tones were
threatening, aud POmpey closed
the interview by rushing at him
with a scream. 1t was a narrow
escape for Campi. The terrible
trunk made a vicious sweep at him,
and if he had not been an acrobat
and had a seconds warning, it
would have been all day with him.
He beat a hasty retreat, muttering
threats of vengeance, and for time
the affair was ended. He ceased
his attentions to Josie, avoiding
her as much as possible, and pru-
dence restrained him from ap-
preaching Pompey. The beast was
continually on the watch for him,
seeming to nurse his wrath, and
thus matters went on for about
four weeks.
We were showing at Blooming
ton. Ind. Half an hour before the
evening performance opened cir
cumstauces favored Camp by CIV
ing him ana opportunity tor a con
yersation with Josie at 1.-THE door fthe
dressing Groom. He poured out his
prOtestations Of love and rever-
ence. vowed that life without her
would not be worth living another
hour, and besOught her to elOpe
with him. She repulSed him with
firm tones, and in his passion be
drew a knife and stabbed her to the
heart and fed. There was an ac-
cidental listener to the words, and
the same person also saw the blow
struck. You may believe there was
the greatest excitementas the news
spread among us. When ThOmp-
son was told Of it, he came and
raised the dead body of the girl in
his arms and kissed the fast.paling
cheeks. Then he asked for some
garment belonging to Camp, and,